


The Three of Us

by marsygirl



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Action/Adventure, Badass EVERYONE, Camp Half-Blood, Canon Era, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 10:38:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8664463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marsygirl/pseuds/marsygirl
Summary: Your heroes will be unlikely,Your enemies even so,One is of god and beastlyOne is of noneOne is of prophecies and sunAnd last is of clashing sides in need to be onefind who is on your side and you would have wonThe departure of the Western Civilization is always devastating. To the gods who must leave their children defenceless to find their new home, to the nymphs and all other creatures whose lives moves with the gods. But most of all the demi-gods left only with the walls of whatever home and community they had forged for themselves, in the clutches of the monsters they had hunted down.And so, as the Western Civilization leaves Britain for the America and a mysterious man is helping monsters gain power with machines, the inhabitants of London both Greek and Roman must come together to make their last stand for their homes.





	1. Out of the dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the girl of Change runs from the dark
> 
> Her jailers call after her, they bark and bark
> 
> she can't hear them for she is free as a lark

-Dark House-

1874

Tessa's footsteps slapped loudly against the wooden floorboards, her breath coming quick as she desperately willed her legs to move faster.

This is a dream come true! I will finally get to leave this wretched place!' Tessa thought as she tore around a corner. Her agile companion gliding ahead of her.

Of course, in her dreams she'd always thought she'd be walking out hand-in-hand with her brother. Not rescued by some odd goat-human creature, although she understood that the creature's intentions were good.

"My name is Synthia by the way, Synthia Underwood," Her liberator announced. She had a comforting low, musical British accent, "and don't you worry, I come from a long line of Keepers so you're in good hands now." Synthia slowed her pace to match Tessa's much slower one.

"A keeper?" Tessa asked, her voice breathy from running. Her fingers clutching around the package she was holding as if to make sure it hadn't dissapeared.

"Yes, a keeper. Chiron'll explain everything you need to know." Synthia explained hardly making anymore sense than before.

'Chiron?' Tessa's mind buzzed with questions but none of them seemed to be close to getting answers.

"That's the exit." Synthia told her, they were standing behind a staircase in the main room, Tessa had only been here once, when she was first escorted here. Tessa's heart fluttered, like a bird trapped in a cage. So close, so close to freedom, she understood what authors meant when they said you could taste it. Freedom was sweet like a fresh breeze from the outside, sour like the sweat from the hard work to accomplish it.

"Now, now dearie, you do not truly think we would let you make such an easy escape?" a voice taunted from behind.

The taste of freedom had turned bitter, the was bird shot in the wings before it even left the ground. Tessa felt like crying. Mrs. Black and Mrs. Dark were standing there behind them in the hallway smiling triumphantly at the look of anguish on Tessa's face.

"Miss Grey please move behind me, I'll be damned if another half-blood gets hurt." Synthia said, Tessa numbly walked behind her before muttering under her breath. "I knew I should have stuck to basket weaving! No bloody kindly ones ready to chop my head off!"

"Do you remember what we did when we caught you trying to escape last time?" Mrs. Black warned, ignoring Synthia's presence.

Tessa shuddered, skin prickling at the memory of the whip burning lines into her, the searing pain she was in afterwards. She hoped she would never experience that again.

 

"Yes," Her voice cracked and she tried again. Stronger this time. "Yes, I do remember, but I'll never let you torture me again! Not even if I die trying!" She said, surprised at how true the words were. She couldn't help but feel victorious at the look of shock on the dark sisters faces.

"I would have loved killing you but sadly I have orders from the Magister." Mrs. Black said recovering from her shock before her sister. "However he never said anything about any satyrs you might bring along" Mrs. Black said eyeing Synthia with distaste. Before lunging at her, a scythe materializing in her hands.

Synthia was quick to react, pulling a flute out of her belt, raising it to her lips and drawing out a soft tune from it.

'A flute? Why is she playing a flute here of all times?'

Her question was answered because as soon as the first notes spilled out from the flute, Mrs. Black's scythe changed into a yellow sunflower in full bloom. Furious to be rid of her weapon Mrs. Black let out a low snarl, and charging at Synthia with her claws instead.

Tessa's her eyes widened at the discarded sunflower. She had seen magic before but it was never something she associated with something as innocent as sunflowers. Magic was for torturing and pain, like how Mrs. Dark used it when Tessa was misbehaving. It was the feeling of bones snapping as Tessa was suffocated into a different body.

Distracted Tessa didn't notice Mrs. Dark had snuck up on her, magic crackling at her finger tips.

"Ow!" Tessa cried, jerking away as Mrs. Dark's magic came to touch with Tessa's skin.

Stumbling backwards Tessa droped the package clutched in her hands. And instinctively reached for her angle necklace, pulling down on the it until she could feel the chain digging into her neck. Tessa felt the pendant snap off the chain, her eyes widened as the angel grew longer and heavier until she was holding a golden sword in her hands.

"Miss Grey come- Oi! how did you get that sword miss?" Synthia asked, she had appeared at Tessa's side now that Mrs. Black was snugly tied up in a wooden vine clutching her the stem of her bright yellow sunflower tightly in her hands, enraged.

Before Tessa could answer, Mrs. Dark spoke out, glaring at them, standing a bit of a distance away from them. Unlike her sister she seemed to be more cautious about jumping right into a fight.

"Oh you think you're smart now don't you." Mrs. Dark snarled at them. "Running away from us like this." she said gesturing at the door. "But you'll remember that I made you what you are, without us you would still be a naive mortal. I showed you you're full potential. The Magister made you who you are." She laughed, a cold insane crackle. "You can't escape him you are his. So leave now little half-blood, and you shall be more vulnerable later."

Tessa glared at her, rage flooded her senses. This woman had made her feel like she was dying, like she was nothing, and now she was standing here telling Tessa that she owed her something. Tessa never despised someone as she did now.

She swung the sword at her.

The swing wasn't as she intended. The sword was lighter than she thought and the grip molded in her hand like it was made for her. The balance threw her off, she cut Mrs. Dark's arm instead of her chest. It left a deep graze in her arm, blood pouring out on to the bright lemon yellow dress she was wearing.

Tessa's eyes widened she pulled her sword away appalled at what she had done. She turned and sprinted out the door, Synthia following quickly behind her, her goat legs moving much faster than Tessa's human ones.

She forgot the letters she had wrote to her dear brother. The only thing that connected to her old life, left in the shadows of the place she hated the most.

~0~

As they rode the scenery changed around them. The houses around them changed, from grand mansions the became squatter and shorter, seeming to huddle together for warmth amongst their thin walls.

They were going to the East End slums.

Out of all the times Tessa had dreamed about coming to England -even in the captive of the Dark sisters because she wasn't truly in England, yet.- pictured herself at the gorgeous monuments her brother had told her about in his letters, the ones that were described in wonderful writings in poetry. Now she was faced with reality, the terrible disgusting slums of the glorious London were spread out for her.

As Tessa hopped off the wagon they had taken a ride on. This particular alley wasn't unlike the others they had passed, but it held a certain aura to it.

It was familiar, comforting somehow. It was home.

"This is the entrance" Synthia told Tessa, they had walked up to a stone wall at the end of the alley

'What if they're like the Dark Sisters?"

The thought came unbidden into Tessa's mind. She remembered how Mrs. Dark had howled when Tessa cut her, how horribly she had been treated for the last few weeks.

"Miss Grey?" Synthia asked already stepping towards the solid looking wall.

"Why should I trust you?" The words spilled out of Tessa's mouth be fore she could stop herself.

Synthia looked at Tessa, she didn't seem surprised that Tessa had questioned her intentions. 

"Because I am taking you to a place with other people like you. Tell me what do you know about this world?" she asked.

Tessa was surprised, she said. "Well, I know that I'm a descendant of sort of Greek God, like what the ancient people believed in."

"Yes, and there are others like you. Now tell me, how well can you read and write?" Synthia inquired.

Tessa stared at the dirty cobblestones of the passageway. This was her one flaw, to love something that was so hard for her. But as they said, success was measured by the obstacles you overcame to achieve it. 

"Not very well." Tessa murmured ashamed.

"I persume many odd things have happened in your life? Things that you can't explain?"

"Yes..." Tessa said not sure how she knew all this. Tessa was prone to strange things, spiders had always hated her, there were beautiful tree women who came out when Aunt Harriet wasn't around. "How do you know this?"

"Because, like I said there are many people like you. Just right behind this wall.

Tessa looked up at the brick wall it wasn't anything extraordinary, but she could feel it the pulse of life, of home right behind there. She just had to step through.

The scenery changed, it was no longer the dark damp slum, but a field with a sparkling lake nestled in it. They had come in to a large field, crops grew around Tessa's ankles and there was a man like Synthia who was playing his flute to an attentive audience of cabbages. On the opposite side of the field there was a clear plain only broken by classical buildings. They were like the banks Tessa had seen in America with large imposing pillars, expect unlike the banks they were new and pristine not old and rusted.

"Those are the Houses of Scholars." Synthia said pointing to the whit buildings. "It's where they make the regulations of the gang, amongst other things."

"Gang?" Tessa asked suddenly nervous again.

" Oh, that's what the mortals think we are. They'll keep out of our way and not invade our 'territory'" Synthia explained. "We used to be a large scale orphanage but now the East is slums so this is our best cover."

Tessa stared at the lake trying to wrap her head around the concept but never seeming to fully grasp it. 

"over there is the forges, we make weapons for sending monsters back to Tartarus there." Synthia said noticing Tessa discomfort and changing the subject.

"Like... a Telkhine?" Tessa asked. The Dark Sisters had made her change into one once, it was one of her later changes. The creature was terrible. It's skin was horribly sensitive, like she was being blasted with winter air even in the heated air of the sister's office.

"Where did you learn that from?" Synthia asked causually.

"The Dark Sisters had one to make weapons." Tessa lied, she didn't want anyone to know about her powers, even though Synthia said that there were people like her here. There was some gut instinct that was choking off the words before they could even form.

"We should go see Chiron." Synthia said not noticing Tessa's lie.

They stepp inside the lobby of the first house, the marble flooring was worn but polished, the beautiful crystal chandelier was clean and sparkling but the candle holders were full of burn marks that showed it's years. The room was clean in a loved way. It was Expensive but used.

"Chiron!" Synthia squeaked her voice gone high and cheeks flushed red, she hands ran smoothing down her braid of auburn hair.

Tessa jumped when she turned around to find herself facing a set of rather nonhuman legs. Attached to the legs was a human man he was wearing a smart looking suit. It was expensive but used, much like the room.

"Are you a satyr too?" Tessa asked using Mrs. Black's words and hoping it didn't mean something offensive.

Chiron chuckled. "No, my child I am a centaur, although I am rather not like my brethren." He frowned slightly at the thought. "You my dear must be Synthia's new assignment. Come let me introduce you to the camp."

Chiron led Tessa outside and he pointed to all the monuments and buildings in the area informing Tessa of their purpose and introducing her to some other children.

"Mr. Chiron?" Tessa asked timidly, pushing back hair that had fallen to her eyes. "How exactly is this organization run?"

'Why do you have to be so forward? You shouldn't have asked him that, it's impolite.' Tessa mentally scolded herself.

Tessa opened her mouth to apologize but was silenced by Chiron's answer. 

"We are scattered throughout East End. You will be assigned to a specific house as soon as you are claimed by your godly parent. Each house represents one of the twelve olympians. We are in Athena's, Demeter's and Hephaestus' house, it's the largest of our strongholds. Each godly parent has a purpose in our community, the Ares' children are our fighters, the Hermes helps us communicate with one another and Hephaestus provides us with the weapons we wield."

"Do you see the other houses much?" Tessa asked. She was starting to feel comfortable with Chiron, he didn't dismiss her like any other adults would. He listened and answered, talking to her like she was grownup.

"Yes, but they live in other parts of the slums. Usually we have Hermes children to send us messages to them." Chiron looked at Tessa he smiled a bit and said, "Our- my main purpose is to train you so you can defend yourself when you are out there in the real world experiencing life. But everything is so much harder to do with the shift of the Western Civilization." 

"Western Civilization?" Tessa questioned.

"Yes, it is the thing that ties the gods to a land. They seek out a flourishing culture and they spread their legacy in it. For the last 300 years that place has been England. It's changing now, going to a more prosperous country. America." 

By the time the presentation was over and Tessa had her fill of answers, it was sundown and all the other children who were playing out in the fields were all running towards a large one story building on the side of the lake. Tessa had asked

"Where will I be staying tonight?"

"One of the here I suspect, unless you already know your godly parent?" Chiron answered good-naturedly.

Tessa felt her throat close up in fear the words Eidolon flashing through through her mind, from an overheard conversation that the Dark Sister were having in their horrible office in the damp hallway.

"She is mastering her power quickly" Mrs. Dark had said appreciatively. "The Magister will soon congratulate us.

"Yes, and we will also have her father, a great Eidolon's favor as well." Mrs. Black added sounding smug.

"No, I don't know my godly parent." Tessa lied guilt flooding her body.

'You've only been here for two minutes and you're already breaking their trust.' Tessa thought glumly.

"I'll let Sophie show you the rest of the camp." Chiron said. Tessa blinked, she must have missed some of the conversation because standing in front of her was a young girl. The girl -Sophie, Tessa assumed.- around Tessa's age and had thick chocolate brown curls that were forced into tight twin braids. Her skin, unlike Tessa's that had lost whatever small amount of color it had possessed during her time at the dark house, was a dark healthy tan, making her white smile standout from her face.

"Come, I'll show you the rest of camp." Sophie said beckoning her with a hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tessa is 13 years old during 1875
> 
> Will and Jem are 14  
> So, this is my first fanfic please comment to help me get better! :)
> 
> Also, When I decided to make a PJO au I wanted to utilize the Western Civilization stuff from the books. Of course since as Aphrodite/Venus says in Mark of Athena that 'half-bloods started the civil war.' and the civil war ended around 10 years before TID I thought, 'What if the Western Civilization's end happens gradually. I mean what about the Demi-gods who are still there back in the old place?'
> 
> Basically this is a story of headcanons and vague guesses.
> 
> Sorry everyone who actually read through all of that (no one) I really appreciate it.


	2. Accepting and Adopting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> humans are so needy and naïve
> 
> they wish to be accepted, if not they grieve
> 
> they long for friends, that they will deceive
> 
> such odd things they are. Can you believe?

-The Dark House-

1874

Will stared up at the building in front of him with a sense of foreboding. It was around two stories tall and was a putrid gray-green color with grand looking balconies that casted long shadows making the shape of the building seem like a mystery. From where they were standing at the side of the structure they could only see the path and steps that lead to where the door was.

"Thought this place would be more interesting," Will drawled trying to sound confident. "Although, I can't argue that this wallpaper is definitely a defect of nature."

"This is a minor sweep, they aren't sending us anywhere dangerous, or as you'd like to call it, interesting." Jem answered casually, already use to Will's snarky attitude.

Once the senate had found out that most effective way to rid themselves of the two inexperienced  _ probatio _ holders was to send them on useless missions and so, Will and Jem had been assigned impractical duties, checking inventory, cleaning the stables. All the while Gabriel Lightwood and his first cohort friends taunted them saying “You should be honored to have such a important job!” and “Where would this legion be without you!” However no one whom seemed to share Will’s urge to break Lightworm's nose so he ended up keeping his rage to himself.

Will sighed and walked up the steps drawing out his too heavy sword, and before he lost his nerves, swung opened the door.

"Wait!" Jem called after Will, scrambling through the door to catch up with him. "We shouldn't be entering through the front door!" Jem hissed "Did you not listen to what Charlotte says about sweeps?!"

"well as you said," Will said mimicking Jem's voice. "They aren't sending us anywhere dangerous." taking pleasure from the annoyed look on his partner’s face. He took another step into the foyer.

The room they had entered was spacious and dim with two sweeping staircases that lead to opposite sides of the second floor. There were long parallel cuts in the wood and wallpaper like some animal had clawed at it. Making Will’s skin crawl and wish he had never come in in the first place. The room itself was bare but there were indents in the wood flooring that suggesting it had been furniture there.

Will searched the room, walking quietly to make sure that his footsteps didn't make a sound. As he walked, he found a packet of envelopes strung together in the shadows of the staircase, all of them sealed and unopened. Will heard an inhumane yowl and a sharp hiss echo throughout the room, he quickly stuffed the packet into his pocket.

Will gulped, ‘ _ Guess this place was interesting after all.’  _ Will thought nervously.

Will ran back to the main room turning toward the location of the sound, his sword felt heavier than it was moments before. He felt his blood rush from his head, making him lightheaded. He had never killed a monster before, all of his experience came from training sessions and the challenges against the other cohorts in the legion.

A low growling sound seemed come from a dark shadow covered corner in the room, as it got louder the dust to vibrated, bouncing up and down on the floor, the chandelier made soft clincking sounds above their head as it shook slightly.

Beside him he saw Jem get into a fighting stance, drawing out his knives. Absently Will knew that he should lift his sword but in that moment the monster appeared. The shadows seemed to part for it, its bright feline eyes emerged first from the darkness then a paw and the rest of its body. It was obviously a cat of some sort but as it moved it's flesh seemed to become transparent and Will could see it's skeletal structure.

Jem let out a curse, it was harsh and foreign, and left Will with no time to stop him as he leapt out knives flashing as he pounced on the creature. Knives and silver hair gleaming in the dim light of the entrance way. He seemed to move fluidly with the knives, as if they were apart of him.

Will knew the Jem had grown-up in the Chinese legion and and had been fully trained before coming to England, but he had never truly considered that he might be more experienced than Will was. Apparently one didn't really get to exhibit one's swordsmanship whilst scraping excrement off the floor of the stables. The creature let out a loud yowl, trashing and clawing trying to get Jem off it's back. Will moved towards the fight to help him just as Jem had been thrown off it's back and landed gracefully beside Will.

"It's a spartus. I don't know how, but it is." Jem told Will, sweat glistened on his forehead.

Will stared in awe at Jem, he looked like he had been on a morning jog rather than battling a monster the times his size.

"I might be able to reason with it because of my grandfather," Jem said, not realizing that Will's sudden lack of speech had been caused by himself.

"This cat has something to do with Mars?" Will asked returning from his shock

"Yes, but they aren't normally cats." Jem said before charging toward the creature.

Will stared at the monster, it's shoulders were drawn down towards the ground ready to pounce. It hissed turning it's flesh translucent and back to normal again. Jem approached it gently and slowly, the way one would approach a frightened animal. But this was no frightened animal, it was a beast and Jem was going to get devoured.

"It's okay, hush" Jem crooned softly.

_ 'What the hell is he thinking?!'  _ Will thought, alarmed.

"I won't hurt you" Jem said and the cat visibly relaxed.

"I wonder how you came to be.  I’ve never seen a cat _spartus_ before." This time it looked Jem in the eye and Will was sure that it was going to open it's maw and decapitate Jem, but instead it let out a soft mew.

"This place is hardly fit for a poor soul like you, all dark and dingy."

Will let out a scoff and both the cat and Jem snapped their heads at him, the latter giving him a disapproving shake of his head.

_ 'Well one of us has gone off and lost his bloody mind, talking to monsters like they're a newborn children.'  _ Will thought scoffing.

the cat meowed and blinked slowly at Jem, butting it's head into Jem's chest.

_ 'Well the monster is certainly acting like one.' _

A loud bang came from somewhere in the house, the cat shrunk down on itself letting out a low hiss.

"that must be his captors." Jem said his voice taking on a slight edge

"Oh, so it's a he now? What other information did you exchange during that rather moving conversation."

"shut up, his name is Church and I'm adopting him."

"Oh dear, Charlotte's going to have a field day about this." Will said. He was scared and the only words were able to come loose from the closing of his throat were insults and snarky comments.

the sound of closing doors got louder.

"We've gotta go, hurry." Jem said climbing on top of the cat’s back.

"I'm not riding a  _ spartus _ ." Will protested.

"You didn't even know what a  _ spartus _ was a few seconds ago." Jem retorted. Will was taken aback, after several weeks of knowing Jem he had never heard him say a single bad thing about anyone, not even Gabriel Lightworm. Will wondered whether this meant that he had gotten on the last of his nerves or Jem had finally opened up to Will. He sincerely hoped for the latter because he was lonely and in dire need of a friend.

The door of the second floor burst open and two old women walked through it, bewilderment written on their faces, before they let out dual shrieks of anger.

"Let's get back home." Will agreed climbing on top of church's back.

Will let out a whoop of laughter as they bounded out in to the streets of London, the cool night air engulfing them.

~0~

It had taken the senate a few weeks to debate whether or not to let Will and Jem off of  _ probatio _ . Even though Charlotte had been repeating over and over again that the senate was being idiots. That 'The Boys' as she called Will and Jem, had saved the legion, informing them on a huge monster den that a more equipped search team had found. Whilst the centurions of the second and first cohort had argued that they had done nothing, and had even tamed a spartus instead of killing it 'Like a true Roman.' They also seemed to unsesibly believe that they were hiding something from the senate.

Of course, Will was hiding something. The letters he had found were apparently private letters of a girl held captive in The Dark House, her name was Theresa Gray and all of the letters had been addressed to -What Will assumed was- Her brother, Nathan Gray. He was captivated, the way she wrote, the way the words swept off the page was beautiful. Her stories drew him in and made him feel all the loneliness, the sadness that she was feeling.

She was probably dead, there were human bodies in the cellar of the house and the letters ended a few months before he had come. It was a tragedy.

"We accept James Carstairs, grandson of Mars and of Carstairs, Apollo lineage, and William Herondale, of Herondale and Mercury lineage to the Ninth Legion Fulminata for their first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?" Asked praetor WhiteLaw, it was the day of their ceremony all the senate members were piled up into the seats of the semi-circle to watch the promoting of the probatio members who had tamed a spartus.

"I do" Jem answered, his silver eyes flashing with brilliance.

"I-" Will took deep breath to calm himself "I do."

Will looked up at Jem, he was smiling faintly. His eyes darted down to church -whom they had found out had a smaller size he could change to- curled up up at his feet.

"Senatus Populusque Romanus" The senate chanted together

A fire burned on Jem's arm, he held still and didn't show any pain. When flame died down the marks were seared onto Jem's arm SPQR a symbol of crossed spears to represent Mars and a lyre for his Apollo Lineage.

Will looked back at praetor Whitelaw, all he could think of was the pain on his arm. He tried not to react, like Jem, but the pain was too much and he had to bite down on his lip to keep from whimpering.

_ 'mighty brave you are, can't even bear a little pain.'  _ he thought sarcastically as the light dimmed down.

His marks were unlike Jem's. They both had only one mark for their years of service but his had the Caduceus on his wrist instead of a lyre. Will had half expected a trident to appear on his arm too, to symbolize his mother's greek heritage, and being a grandson of Poseidon. But he was glad it didn't. He already got enough flak for being half greek. He didn't need the entire legion to know he was a descendant of one of the ‘big three’.

~0~

It was nearly time for curfew but Will, Jem and a full sized Church were sitting on the field of Mars, celebrating their victory on finally becoming full members of the legion.

"My mum would have been proud of me." Jem said wistfully taking a swig of hot chocolate beside Will.

"My ma would have shrieked about evil romans and drowned Church." Will answered glancing sideways to see Jem's reaction.

"I'm awfully afraid of you're mother now." Jem said, keeping his tone casual but slightly pompous. Will had found out that this was how he expressed humor, and was rather proud to be able to identify his joking voice from his serious one. It felt like he was being truly accepted.

"Says the one with a daughter of Mars for a mother." Will retorted.

"Oh, but she loved cats and would never even had thought of drowning poor little Church." Jem told him smiling a little bit, before looking at his side where church was stretched out on his stomach and pat his head, his hand not even reaching from ear to ear.

"She was amazing," Jem continued smile widening and sparkling with happiness. "and then she was gone." Jem's smile slid from his face any humor was drained from his body. Will had known that Jem was an orphan, but never had really heard much of the story beyond that his parents were horrifically murdered by some kind of monster in the sixth legion in China.

"I-I'm sorry." Will said. He didn't really know what to say, he would have been devastated if his parents had died but had no idea how to comfort Jem.

Jem smiled and Will was caught off guard, his smile was sad and the muscles seemed to not want to cooperating with the action, his hair and fallen down covering his eyes and was shining a brilliant silver in the moonlight. He seemed to be steeling himself to do something he despised.

Will didn't like seeing him sad like this.

"I'm sick."

"Oh, do you want to go back in to the barracks?" Will asked taken aback by the change of subject.

"No, Will, when I was younger I was discovered to have Apollo's blessing. I can tell prophecies. There hasn't been a Carstairs in centuries who has had the blessing of Apollo." Jem barreled on, like if he stopped right now he would never gather the courage to ever tell him again. Will wanted Jem to tell him this, he decided he wasn't going to interrupt.

"It's a near impossible trait, descendants or children of Apollo can only read the words from the gods or the Sibylline books." Jem said. "We know that the Greeks have the Oracle of Delphi, but us Romans can only do so much without a true Prophet. I get sick every time I use it, nausea, I was bedridden for weeks the first time I used it." He paused before barreling on telling Will the story of his parents and how they were tortured and killed by Yanlou. how Jem had been tied to chair and forced to watch the life slowly drain out of his parents.

The story made Will sure of one thing, Jem was the bravest person he knew.

 


	3. Clash of storm and sea

-streets of London-  
1878  
Will stared at the mouth of the alley he was going into, it was dark and smelled of organic material left out in the sun for too long. Of course this was where the monsters were, in the foul smelling pit of London. 

Will braced himself as he walked to the narrow lane. It had been five years since he had become a full member of the legion, since the total departure of the gods and Camp Minerva had been desperate for warriors, sending even under trained persons like Will out into the battlefield. Or well, at least to slightly decrease the amount of monsters the next time they attack.

Further into the alley Will heard noises, he softly crept deeper into the small passage. His heart thumped in his chest, he still felt anxious every time he killed a monster. The noises at the end of the alley were growing louder with every step until he could hear a soft muffled sounds.

Wham! 

Something hard collided with Will’s face, clutching his face he stumbled back. With his free hand Will quickly drew out his sword, only to find one already pointed at his neck.

“Stop playing games with me, monster.” The owner of the sword told him. The voice was strong and steady but distinctly feminine. It sounded odd, her vowels were inconsistent, changing from a harsh cockney to soft nasally American one.

“I’m not a monster.” Will growled at his captor, he wasn’t able to turn his head to look at the girl from where she held him.

‘Oh look what I’ve gotten myself into. There’s some maniac Half-Blood with their sword against my neck threatening me. Oh Jem would get a kick out of this.’ 

Will knew exactly how Jem would react to this, he would smile a little then he would use one of those knives he had gotten from Artemise and slit this person’s throat, of course then he would tease Will about it for weeks on end. Will was incredibly grateful Jem wasn’t here.

“Do you take me for a fool Eidolon? I know that you’ve been following me and my charge for the last few hours. No monsters would be ludicrous enough come this close to us Greeks.” The girl said.

‘Greeks?’ Will’s mind churned, the senate knew that the Greeks were somewhere around but never had an exact location. It would explain how the monsters never seemed to be anywhere near this part of the slums. 

“I’m not an eidolon” Will pleaded, racking his brain for any information on the monster. “Look at my eyes.” Will said relieved that he could remember that eidolons had golden eyes. The girl went silent obviously contemplating his suggestion, before she slowly tilted her sword up so that he was looking at her. All Will could see about the greacus was a dark blue hood and cape that wrapped around the girl obscuring her body and face. A pale hand flashed up to where Will assumed her mouth was hidden and her sword dropping from under his chin once she saw his face. 

“You aren’t lying?” The girl whispered, shocked.

“Well of course not.” Will said starting to feel annoyed.

“You’ve been following us for the last two hours, so I think I’m entitled to think that you’re a monster.” the girl snapped back at him.

“What? I haven’t been following you for the last two hours. And who is us? There seems to be only one of you. ” Will said 

The girl ignored the last question, she stiffened and stared at Will. “He’s still after us.” 

A low chuckle echoed through the alley. “I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that his boy isn’t me.” The eidolon said. “Maybe after you had sliced his throat open? You know I’d always thought you’d have taken after Athena, but then again, sometimes the smartest people can be brash. Especially if they’re protecting something.” The Eidolon said sounding smug. By the way it was talking this was probably an old monster. Will had only fought few older monsters, mostly with the entire cohort.

“How did you find us?” The girl asked, her voice strong. Will was struck with the fact that Will hadn’t even seen this infamous third person everyone was talking about.

“Oh, I just disguised myself as a Demi-god in that pathetic camp of yours and asked about your quest, they were quite glad to give me the information if I do say so myself.”

The girl let out a gurgling sound before saying “Why are you targeting me? If you can get into camp then why do you want me!” The girl cried, her voice cracking in the middle of the sentence.

“Oh Theresa, you know why.”  
‘Theresa.’

One word and all of Will’s thoughts unfroze. It was that name, the name he had associated with the comforting words, words that had floated into his mind during long nights he had spent up reading. The only other thing except James that had ever touched his soul in all of his years being a legionnaire. 

A name he had thought was long dead.

‘It can’t be. There are so many Theresa’s out there. She isn’t the one.’

“Emma!” Theresa shouted. A frail looking girl with stringy blonde hair shot out from a low hanging roof tackling the eidolon to the ground.

‘So, there’s the third person.’ 

Theresa picked up her sword and jumped out to help the little girl turning around to face Will she said sounding worried and aspirated. “Are you going to just stand there stupidly? I thought Romans were good fighters!” 

‘My Theresa or not, she’s fiery.’

Will unsheathed his sword and lunged into the fight. Theresa was already there sword ready jabbing at the eidolon. Will felt the sudden urge to put his all in this fight, he wanted Theresa to see his swordsmanship and praise him for it. Will hefted his sword looking sideways at Theresa, she was backing up her stance filled with determination. She her hood faced him she seemed to be saying ‘Go on prove yourself to me.’

Will was happy to oblige.

“Hey eidolon!” Will shouted the feeling brave. “What do you want with some Greek girl, She’s hardly got any meat on her.” Will felt Theresa’s glare on his back.

“Ah Poseidon's spawn, haven’t seen one of those in while. Has the the old man gone inactive? Fled the second he could? Shame he’s always the most fun to fight.”

Will felt cold. This was truly an old monster, talking about Olympians by their names, probably been around for a few shifts of the Western Civilization too.

“Well I’m sorry, I can’t account for my grandfather's absence. You’ll just have to fight me instead.” Will said, not letting any fear tint his voice. He swung his blade at the monster, but it was ducked easily.

“Arrogant little brat aren’t you? But Poseidon's one’s always are. Tell me do they know about your Greek legacy? Do they laugh at you and tell you you’re a disgrace that should never had been born?”

Will felt blood rushing to his head, he didn’t just want to defeat this monster to impress Theresa anymore.

“Shut up!” Will swung his sword again, this time it cut through the monster. Will was breathing hard and sweat was dripping down his chin, he pulled his sword away from the monster. The eidolon looked astonished before it burst into dust, it probably never expected the measly Roman boy to even touch him. 

Theresa grabbed Will’s hand and he was torn away from the remnants of the monster. 

~0~ 

By the time Tessa and the Roman had reached the meeting place it was raining. She and the boy had spent the entire trip silent letting the slowly accumulating amount of rainfall drench their backs. Tessa stared at the lane. She had sent Emma Bayliss to Fleet Street right past the Mrs. Lovetts pie shop. Tessa had no idea what to do with the Roman. 

“So, what you’re name?” Tessa asked, trying to make conversation.

“Will,” The boy said shorty. “Where is the girl? The one you were with?”

 

“This is the meeting place.”

“And I’ll never hear the end of how poorly this assignment went when I get back, I’m positive that Chiron will be ecstatic about this.”

“What’s that?” Will asked.

‘Why did I have to take on Synthia’s habit of talking out loud to herself?’ Tessa thought.

“Oh nothing, anyways” Tessa said trying to distract Will from her blurb. “What is a Roman like you doing all the way in Darkest London?” She was using the nickname for the East End slums. “Shouldn’t you be flaunting around in the Covent Gardens of West End?”

Will smirked and Tessa was struck -not for the first time.- by how handsome he was, beautiful raven black hair, bottle blue eyes. He was a pretty little thing, even a blind woman could tell he was dashing. 

“Being in the legion there’s hardly time left for flaunting around Theresa.” He said jokingly. “And also, for your information I was clearing out monsters, apparently they’re quite attracted to the slums.” 

Tessa’s eyes narrowed “Don’t recall giving you my name.” Tessa felt immediately felt uneasy. “How do you know it?” 

“The Eidolon said it when we were fighting.” The boy said casually.

‘He only said it once, why would he remember that?’ Tessa thought, she filed away the information for later.

“It’s Tessa, nobody calls me that Theresa.” 

Tessa looked up her eyes caught sight of Emma’s blonde hair drenched in dirty rain water.

“Miss Gray! I’m here. But wha’ on earth is tha’? O’ All the things I’ve seen in the slums tha’ was the strangest!” Emma exclaimed her accent becoming worse in her panic.

“Calm down Emma, I’ve explained to you about the greek gods and well, there are greek monsters too.” Tessa explained. 

“But what abou-”

“There will be more time to answer questions back at camp.” Tessa cut not wanting to give away the Greeks secrets to Will.

“Well Tessa, I’m afraid that your marvelous company with me must end here. I shall look back on this rain drenched evening with fondness.” Will said before turning and walking off in the other direction. 

Tessa rolled her eyes “Emma we must get back to camp.” she said as soon as Will left her sight.

“But what abou’ your friend Miss?”

“He isn’t anybody you should concern yourself with.”

Why was the Legion sending soldiers all the way out to darkest London? They knew that Greeks inhabited the area. So why?

~0~

Will was lying on his bed back in the fifth cohort barracks. The second he had come back Charlotte had taken to mothering him whilst Jem stood by stifling laughter as Charlotte stuffed dry clothes into his arms muttering about hypothermia. But Will couldn't care less about catching a cold or dieing for that matter. Because of her he finally knew where she was. He had been sure the second the girl had said her last name. Gray. Theresa Gray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The story doesn't always linear so please try and read the years at the beginning of the chapter! I will try and give you the year in the context of the story but It'll still be pretty confusing if you don't look at the year!


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